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Big Brothers Big Sisters recruiting volunteer mentors in Comal, Guadalupe counties

September 27, 2023: Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children realize their potential and build their futures. And they need your help.

With 20 children in Comal and Guadalupe counties awaiting a match, volunteer mentors are needed more than ever.

Some kids today are growing up without the support and guidance they need to be successful. Without access to positive role models, they often fall prey to the dysfunctional cycles of poverty, delinquency, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, failure and incarceration.

The Comal & Guadalupe counties branch of Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas is inviting potential mentors to find out more about the program during a mixer with free bowling and food on Oct. 4 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Downtown Social, located at 386 West San Antonio St. in New Braunfels.

“We have expanded our staff to accommodate the increased need for services over the last year,” said Rianne Sykes-Wenske, director of the Comal & Guadalupe counties branch. “Even more families are reaching out, and we are committed to supporting them – which requires more volunteers. This event will help us get the word out and share more about the magic that happens when a child gets matched with their mentor. Come out and have some fun with us.”

The program in Comal and Guadalupe counties has seen remarkable success in the last two years. According to Sykes-Wenske, 100% of the matches are still together after one year. Additionally, 100% of students in the program saw promotion to the next school grade level in the last year.

The movement started in 1904 when Ernest Coulter, a New York City juvenile court clerk, observed how many fatherless boys came through his courtroom and recognized they needed a positive adult role model to help them stay out of trouble. He recruited the first 50 volunteers, marking the beginning of the Big Brothers movement.

The Comal & Guadalupe counties branch started in 2001 to change the lives of children for the better, forever.

For more information and to RSVP for the Oct. 4 event, visit https://rb.gy/8ry4r or email rsykes-wenske@bigmentor.org.

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RecoveryWerks! readies for National Recovery Month; Sept. 15 Open House

Sept. 6, 2023: September is National Recovery Month, an observance promoting and supporting new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery possible. The 2023 theme is “Recovery is for Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.”

Comal County is home to several organizations that promote, encourage and celebrate recovery daily. RecoveryWerks!, a local nonprofit, is one such organization.

RecoveryWerks! provides recovery support services for teenagers and young adults experiencing problems with substance use. Through state-certified peer recovery support specialists, they provide counseling, peer coaching, support group meetings, sober social activities, role modeling and accountability to help young people discover the freedom of life without the effects of mind-changing chemicals.

“We know that to young people, their peer group means everything,” said Zach Saunders, a licensed chemical dependency counselor and RecoveryWerks! youth services program director. “Nowadays, when a kid tries to become sober, it’s very different. It’s virtually impossible to avoid contact with other kids experiencing substance abuse problems. Ultimately, when we identify a young person with a substance abuse issue, they need a different set of friends. They need a different place to be. That’s what we try to provide.”

In addition to working with teens and young adults, RecoveryWerks! provides similar support to family members, ages nine and above, who have a loved one struggling with substance use disorder.

“Family members come here because their teen is in trouble, and they want to get them help,” said RecoveryWerks! Executive Director Debi Dickensheets. “The parents are concerned with their teenager dying or going down a path that is not recoverable. We work with the family members on how to enable recovery versus enabling addiction. We have a 12-step support group meeting for parents and grandparents, while other counselors are having a 12-step support meeting for the teens. We also have a 12-step support group meeting for brothers and sisters who are not using between the ages of nine and 17. Everybody in the group gets tools on how to help enable recovery.”

The Comal County Commissioners Court recently proclaimed September as National Recovery Month in Comal County, recognizing that while mental health and substance use disorders affect all communities nationwide, many within the community have embarked on a journey of improved health and overall wellness.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, launched National Recovery Month in 1989 to increase public awareness surrounding mental health and addiction recovery.

On Sept. 15, RecoveryWerks! is hosting a fun night for the entire family to celebrate the outpouring of community support for persons in recovery and the many lives changed through the recovery process.

The free event will be held at 790 Landa St. in New Braunfels from 6 – 10 p.m., featuring music, games, prizes, food trucks, community resources tables and an outdoor family movie that begins at sunset. The public is invited to bring lawn chairs, bring the family, and help celebrate National Recovery Month in the community.

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National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month observed in July

July 10, 2023

National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is observed each July to bring awareness to the unique struggles that racial and ethnic minority communities face regarding mental illness in the United States.

Racial and ethnic minorities often suffer from poor mental health outcomes due to multiple factors, including lack of access to quality mental health care services, cultural stigma surrounding mental health care, discrimination and overall lack of awareness about mental health.

Read more here or here or here.